To my Blogging Followers…:)

Who would have thought that my little Dressed to a T blog would have groupies…not groupons (at least not yet), but Groupies!  I actually have people asking when my next blog will be.    I have to say, I’m surprised, quite appreciative and yet  think I’m the victim of some practical joke.  I have expect Allen Funt to come jumping out of my laptop, smack me in the face and say, “Smile, you’re on candid camera”.   For you younger viewers, google him, so you don’t think I’m nuts.   Now, truth be told, there are not hundreds of these requests, but there have been at least 10, and that’s nothing to sneeze at…at least in my world.    And for those of you who subscribe to my blog, and then take the time to comment… Thank you!

Blogging has become addictive and great fun.   I find that wherever I go, I find myself telling my friends, “I will blog about that”. ..and may I say, it’s much to their  dismay.  That joke may be  getting kind of old.  I hope my blogs don’t get old, like my “duck walks into a bar jokes” were getting.    But, I have no doubt that if they do,  I will hear about it from some of  you.   My hopes are to keep them light, fresh, and on the  same once-a-week schedule, unless something really inspires me, then you may have to bear with me for a few more.

I enjoy your comments and questions, and as my “tiara” blog showed, I am not beneath making a comment into a blog.  I also am happy to answer any and all of your fashion questions.  My friends Gina and Cinda have both sent me pictures of what they are wearing to ask my opinion.  I have to say, I live for that stuff.   Others have sent emails asking my thoughts.   So, please, if you have any fashion, style, or “what should I wear” questions, please ask away…and I promise to answer all your questions.  And they don’t all have to turn into a blog.

“It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion that heralds your arrival and prolongs your departure.”

Coco Chanel

Happy Weekend and hope to hear from you soon.

Go Bears!

xoxo

T.

What about a Tiara?

What about a tiara?  This was a comment stemming from my blog about “ the one Must Have fashion accessory”, as posed to me by my friend Colleen.  There is a good chance she was kidding, but based on the off-chance she was Not  being snarky, and was aching to get to the bottom of this age-old question,  I think it’s best to address it, and stop ignoring it.

So, what about a tiara?  I think diamonds are not only a girl’s best friend, but go with everything.  You can wear a tiara with a ball gown, short disco dress, jeans and white blouse, nightgown (not from personal experience, but it’s very Eva Gabor from Green Acres), or truly anything one would wear while running errands, or meeting the King of Spain.  Princess Diana has always been a true fashion icon, and she wore a tiara. 

Jackie O also dabbled in tiaras.  Small, and tasteful, in a Not-obvious fashion:

And my All Time Favorite Fashion Icon:  Audrey Hepburn!

Now one may argue that Audrey was wearing this in a film.   I believe that’s neither here nor there, she could have pulled it off shopping at a Walmart…Oh, I think there’s a bluntcard for that:

Disclaimer:  Bluntcards posted on this blog are in No Way the true thoughts or feelings of this blogger, but I do find them funny.

So, to answer Colleen’s question, “What about a Tiara”? 

If the Tiara fits, wear it…and wear it Proudly!  We could all use a little pick me up these days.  Go ahead, and start the trend.  You first.

xoxo

T.

Are you ready for some football?

I am so excited and not because it’s September and my anniversary, birthday and Meredith’s birthday all happen to be in this month (although those events are fabulous as well), I am giddy because it’s football season. True football season, not pre-season, not training, but good ole Chicago Bears football. I love football! Which ponders the question, what’s a girl to wear?

While knowing what to wear on a daily basis comes more naturally, I don’t think it’s as easy when attending a football game. Now we are speaking of attending an NFL game not Patrick’s 8th grade football game – I think I have that dress code covered, which is whatever I choose to wear that day.

So… NFL Attire. Well, I am not a girl who wears football jerseys. So many girls (and most guys) and women can wear them, and look great. I look like a linebacker, which, let’s face it, is never the look one should be going for. Mer and Patrick look adorable, as referenced by this photo…but this was a few years back when the Bears were actually a “contender” and it was fashionable to have a huge giant blow up of a Chicago Bear in front of my house.

So, when attending your team’s football game (or even watching with family and friends), these are some basic guidelines…now, I don’t always follow these guidelines, as I’ve been known to march to the beat of own drummer, but again, some good basic guidelines:

1. Wear your Team’s colors – Love the Chicago Bears, but not digging the team colors of Blue and Orange. Why can’t they be Red and Black like the Arizona Cardinals, or Atlanta Falcons?! I have a plethora of items in my repertoire to choose from in the red or black palette…not so much in the blue and orange range. But, I do have navy and orange sweaters, or a navy and white twin set . So jeans and a white turtleneck and navy sweater or an orange sweater , suit me just fine. Or, a zebra print top may have been seen at a Bears pre-season game. It appears I forgot about Rule #1…Wear your Team’s colors.

2. Must wear comfortable shoes. I love my friend Kathy, but when I picked her up to attend a game, and this is true, she was wearing a pair of cheetah-print mules. In December! It was around 15 degrees and I was wearing Ugg Boots. I ridiculed her enough that she changed to a pair of cheetah print flats. At least her heel was not exposed, and she looked darling. NFL stadiums are big, really big and chances are your parking is really far away, so you will be walking. You must wear comfortable shoes. In Chicago in winter, you have to wear boots.

3. Your purse – there are very specific rules re: the size of the handbag you can take into a game. Leave the Hermes Birkin bag at home ( and in a safe, as I hear they are really expensive). I have a small, Kate Spade, black backpack, which works great. It’s small, made of nylon, doesn’t mind getting wet or snowed on and is user-friendly. Plus, you never know when you are going to get Field Passes and it also holds a small camera!

4. Face Painting. HaHaHa. Not me, but for my 13-year old son or my friend Carol’s son, who was probably 14 at the time, it was terrific! Plus, it usually attracts the TV camera’s…another plus if your face is painted, and you aren’t wearing a shirt. Men only please.

5. Wear sunglasses, because even in the winter, the sun can be brutal. Some may choose to wears a Bears hat, but for me, a hat is an all day decision and rarely do I ever make that decision, so I stick with sunglasses.

6. And in the Dead of Winter, when it’s freezing cold, bundle up, throw on a heavy scarf (or My Shawl) and throw caution to the wind! Note to self, that coat is Not Slimming.

This season I am going to make a concerted effort to sport Blue and Orange, and hopefully will be able to blog about it at a later date when I’m at the Super Bowl for the Bears game! And, oh Happy Day…I have just the right jacket to wear to Sunday’s Opener! You won’t miss me. I figured there were enough photos of me in this blog, so will post just the jacket and not Terry in it.

xoxo

Go Bears!

T.

The One Fashion Item I cannot live without

You know when someone asks you…”if you were on a deserted island, what would you bring?”  Yeah, I dislike that question, immensely.  However, I do know the One Fashion item I cannot live without.  It’s my cashmere and wool, black shawl.  I wear it from September – May.   I use it as a shawl, blanket (on an airplane or sitting on the couch), and let’s face it…it’s so soft and comforting, it’s almost like a Security Blanket!  Almost.

I can wear it with any dress I own, jeans and a turtle-neck, over a suit, with dress pants and a blouse, to give it an extra little snap, or on top of a jean jacket.  I can use it as a “shawl”, or a scarf with my winter coat.  It goes with me to business meetings, my son’s baseball games , Bears games,  to visit Meredith and watch an IU football game, or to wrap myself in it while watching TV…No need for a snuggie for me (oh, yeah, that’s gonna be a future blog).  Mine is black, because it goes with everything I wear, and apparently I wear a lot of black…but if you are looking for this Fabulous Fashion Accessory, you can get it in Cream (though it will get dirty quickly, especially on a plane), Grey, Red, Pink…or any color that works within your wardrobe.  I’d have to say, aside from Skirts with Boots, it’s a Total Fashion Terry Do!

It’s September and the temperatures here in Chicago,  have already plunged!  Good news for me is I break out the shawl, and keep it with me till May.   A few years back I was wearing it in June (and in my defense it was a chilly June), and my husband , Kevin, asked, “When does that go back in the closet”?  I think to spite him I never put it back in the closet that year!  Here’s a lovely family photo of Me, Kevin, Patrick and Meredith in July 2008!

xoxo,

T.

Smile…and the world will wonder what you’re up to.

A smile if your best accessory.  You can be feeling lousy, actually look less than terrific, but if you have a dazzling smile on your face, no one is the  wiser.  A father from  my son’s baseball team  said to me this summer, “You are always so happy…it’s irritating”.  Now, I think, he was kidding, actually I’m pretty sure of that, but in his eyes, I was always  happy, and always smiling.  To the world of travel baseball, I was happy to attend my son’s games, and I truly enjoyed the comradery of the other parents, and did get to watch our boys greatly improve throughout the spring into the summer.  And, of course, who wouldn’t be happy watching your 13-year old son play 60+ games,  in the heat, rain, humidity, with  many double-headers on a Summer night or weekend afternoon, playing till the lights at the park district went off at 11PM.   I truly  loved every minute of it, and always had a smile on my face .    (Actually, I did end up with a nice little summer tan…and haven’t been this tan since my honeymoon in 1990…so I have that going for me).

Contrary to popular belief, or urban legend,  my life is not perfect, and I, like everyone else, have my own trials and tribulations.  I just choose to try to be happy, and hope the other “stuff” works itself out…and I do try to look on the bright side of most things ( not everything, but Most things), and try to surround myself with people and things that make me happy.  Life is about choice, and I choose to be happy.  Most of the time…and when I’m not happy, chances are pretty great that no one is going to know about it, because I’m going to run around with a smile on my face.

Of course, in my case, now that I’ve started this little blog, my 9 blogging followers, know I was not my happy self last week, after dropping my daughter off at school.   My smile may not have  masked my emotions. Not to my little blogging world.    But , you know what?  My daughter is so happy and loves it at Indiana.  Even told me last week was the best week of her life.  Now, as her mother, there was a small pang of hurt, since I wasn’t with her…but isn’t that what we want?  Our children to be happy?

If you walk into a room feeling fabulous and confident, that is Exactly how you are going to come off.
If I had a dime for every time someone said, “I wish I had your confidence”, well I’d at least have $1.40. I’m really not confident (but I do , at times, think I’m funny), I just try to do the best I can with what God has given me.  As I’ve mentioned before, I think I can pull off looking fairly decent, realistically,  probably twice a year, the other 363 days, I fake it.  I just try to dazzle people with my “wit” (yes, and I use that term loosely) hopefully while well-dressed (Dressed to a T) with snappy accessories…aka handbags, jewelery, footwear, and hopefully a smile.   The Power of Distraction.

One of my favorite fashion quotes:

“The expression a woman wears on her face is more important than the clothes she wears on her back.”
Dale Carnegie

That’s not going to help me sell clothes, but don’t we want to see everyone around us happy?

I was once told, “I bet those dimples have gotten you pretty far in life”.  Well, here’s hoping.

xoxo

T.